Hey folks, welcome to the new whine/general topic thread. Feel free to use this thread to discuss anything that is on your mind. Caregiving- related stuff, life after a loved one's death, your own emotional wellbeing. Whatever..........anything on your mind.
And the same with Books.I want to hold my book,smell it,"gel" it at my own pace.I wouldn't want my books read to me on a Kindle.
Well, I say wasted. Actually I vented quite a lot of spleen at them and feel better for it. And the yarn holders are *beautiful* - heavy for their size so they won't skitter about the table and perfectly finished. Clever Mr. Shepherd!
I hope Prince Harry hasn't had to pay import duties on the very lovely Ms Markle. I wouldn't put it past these extortionist rat-bags to try it on...
CM, I wasn't familiar with birching, looked it up and agree it would be a good alternative punishment if legal action wasn't taken.
And I thought MY neighbors were bad!
CM, I think I already have that 1030 stitch book by Mon Tricot. I remember buying literally everything published by it, and the "1030" just rang a bell with me. Fortunately, all those knitting and crocheting books and magazines are behind a big pile of "stuff" that needs to be sorted and donated, or I'd be getting out the book and planning all sorts of projects that I probably wouldn't finish during the caregiving days, or even during a blizzard which is a good time for sorting.
I still have a project on knitting needs; I think I started it at least 20 years ago!
I had forgotten that the UK has VAT taxes. Certainly makes the price of American goods less competitive in the UK.
Ah, CWillie, another person who's not enamoured of Internet shopping! I too must examine goods before I buy them, especially fabric. Some of the flannel and corduroy that came from a certain country in Asia was so thin and cheap it was more suitable for rags.
I meant to ask you...sometime back I mentioned the wonderful velour fleece sheets I bought for my father. What company, or store, do you buy them from? I've asked our local store if it will be ordering them again but have yet to receive an answer. I did track down the importer in NY, but haven't called them and expect that if I ask about distribution to local stores, I'll be told to search online.
One time I was so disgusted with a local store selling outdated sinus meds that I took all the expired pacakages off the shelf, rolled my cart to the customer service area, put them on the counter and suggested politely (since those folks weren't responsible) they contact the manager to find out why the store was selling expired meds. (And that wasn't the first time this happened at that store).
If I bought something and the store delivered outdated merchandise, I wonder if they would send someone out to retrieve it and replace it?
Remember when shopping used to be fun? There were new items, lovely displays, and so much energy and activity at shopping malls or special stores. I still enjoy Joann Fabrics and Michaels for those reasons.
And there were lovely or exciting restaurants when one could rest after an exhausting several hours of checking out all the sales during special seasons.
Borders was still my favorite store. One holiday season during a good sale the crowd was so long (close to 100 feet) that the staff walked along the line of patiently waiting customers and provided little cups of free hot chocolate. I miss that kind of service and atmosphere.
Going to a mall now is more like going to a collection of abandoned buildings in a dilapidated part of town. It's depressing.
But at least the Man Caves are still busy; there's always someone buying something at HD and Lowes.
That Hudson's was the flagship store of the Hudson's line; it was the most diverse store I've ever seen, not because of wealth or high end goods, but because it was so appealing, so diverse, and was literally a little city unto itself.
I raise my hand also for wanting to be up close and personal with whatever I am buying. Borders use to be my favorite place just to roam around, great calendar selections. But a few years ago our local Borders moved out. So did Books A Million, and then Walden Books. I want to flip the pages before I buy. Now my local Staples is moving out... NOOOOOOOOOO, I loved that place.
I use to shop in the stores for clothing but I got to a point where I hated clothes shopping. And helping my parents for many years didn't give me the free time to hop off to the Mall. So it's been catalog shopping, and narrowing down which are the best ones to buy from. I do like the reviews from other shoppers, that's been a great help. It's just finding catalogs where the clothes will last more than one year... LL Bean slacks and blue jeans I can have for years and years :)
Christmas shopping isn't fun anymore. People look deranged. Jostling each other. The single men who have never entered a mall walking around with that seven- mile stare.
My Mom and I used to get all our shopping done early and then go to the mall, sit at a coffee shop and laugh at everyone. Oh, and just in case somebody reading this gets offended by that remark, it was good-natured laughter, not cruel. I feel like I have to mind my P's and Q's these days cause of the small army of Gershun haters out there.
I know you guys are cool though. Garden Artist, CM, Frequent Flyer, CWillie, Luckylu, Send, just to name a few. :)
I like to have the thing I’m buying in my hands also but must admit that online shopping is great for some stuff like getting my folks a dryer or a new phone sent over when I’m 600 miles away.
I'm beginning to think that another aspect of enjoyment the younger generation is missing is the fun of shopping, not just to buy, but to be stimulated by the decorations, the activity, the spontaneity of people shopping. Regional malls were typically filled with people, and lots of activity. Some stores were magnets for daydreaming, such as Borders, and the stores that sold Yankee Candles and fragrant lotions.
Best Buy doesn't stimulate me in the same way; it stimulates me to get out of there as soon as I find what I want b/c the racket is so darned loud.
I too am starting to buy clothes through catalogues; I haven't seen anything I like in stores b/c they're too trendy and made of cheap fabric. I really miss Hudsons, and Winkelman's, Franklin Simon and more that I've probably forgotten.
And I think it's a good thing that women are spending more time in Man Caves; helps us become more independent and learn more about things that typically were men's domains. For me, it's an educational experience. I won't admit that I salivate over drills yet, and a lot of the tools are mysteries as I haven't yet figured out what they do.
Windy, I hope your back is better tomorrow - can't let you miss all the good sales at HD or Lowe's! And take a rest too.
GA, it's a long story (not to say a work in progress) but it all began many years ago when some dam' fool forwarded a YouTube clip of a newly rescued battery hen to Daughter 1. Thereafter, she greeted every parcel and Christmas and birthday package with an excited "is it a chicken?!" and kept this up long, long after most girls would have got over any "can I have a pony" type demand.
Fast forward to a house with a large garden, and our joining the British Hen Welfare Trust's waiting list of prospective rehomers. This Was Not My Idea. But once you've seen those ladies emerge from their carrying crate and jump out of their skins at their first sight of the sky... you're hooked. No going back.
Once every three months I get news of the latest rescues. I am composing a masterpiece of diplomatic negotiation that will persuade my landlord's agent that the no pets clause, having morphed into no pets except one dog, can easily slide further into no pets except one dog and three hens. This is delicate work.
But also I'm in town now, and there are foxes, and I could never cage a chicken so I would have to fox-proof the garden, or buy a rifle and mount a 24/7 guard...
The practicalities are the problem.
But you are right: once you've gathered new-laid eggs from genuinely free-range hens who enjoy a balanced diet of special extra-nutritious ex-bats' grain (in theory), plus your breakfast, lunch and supper, ants' eggs, worms, spiders, your cornflower seedlings, grapes and one horribly unfortunate frog... no egg ever has as much flavour again.
Hmmmm.... do you think the landlord's agent could be more receptive if you explain that value of recycling the chickens' contributions to improve the soil and therefore the gardens? Or maybe bring him some lovely fresh eggs?
Anyway, a poster said that for them to sing like that without instruments - that is talent! {went back to re-watch it and listen to the no-instrumental music.} Huh, he's right... Then he said that the teachers were insisting that was drums in the background...huh? {I went back to re-watch and re-listen for the 'drums'}.... Conclusion: I really like this song - Hallelujah!... Tomorrow, I'm going to listen to their next song... FYI, I just learned that Avi (yes, I had to google who that was) is leaving them! They All have amazing voices.
Sorry, Send. I tried to do a Search here on Music. Remember, there was a thread on this? I gave up after scrolling and scrolling on Next page... Decided to post it here.
CM, no! Every Breathe You Take! It’s 1:15am. I will need to google the YouTube lyrics on that after I go sleep and wake up at 6:30am.
You know what song upsets me every time I hear it? Hotel California. You can check in but can never check out... That is one very depressing, hopeless song. I can never listen to that song. Maybe I was projecting myself into that song...
Gershon do you know who your haters are? Maybe a little sarcasm would put them in their place without alerting the admins.
CM I totally agree with you about the chickens. We have five acres and can only have domestic animals like dogs and cats. As an aside are you allowed caged birds? If you are build one of those pyramid shaped chicken cages on wheels that can be moved around the garden and the hens can do their fertilizing all over the place but not break your lease and keep the family safe from foxes etc. We once had a neighbor with free range hens , but unfortunately they free ranged under the fence and ate my flower bed. I caught them all and when he came home he found them in his back porch.
Pam so sorry about your cat being shot. The same happened to one of ours. He was missing for 2 days and came home with problems in his back legs. The vet found a BB pellet near his spine. He did make a full recovery and vets were not very expensive in the UK 40 years ago.
GA I do sort of have a background in Real Estate in that I did take the course and became a licensed Real estate sales person for a couple of years but never worked at it. I took the course because it was a very bad time in my life and felt the need to do something positive and possibly creat an income. However i have flipped a few houses and been a landlord for a number of years, which I don't recommend. between tenents who don't pay their rent and the City that screws you everytime they can it is not a fun occupation. I am currently selling off the houses and taking a big loss but it would cost me more to do the necessary repairs than i would get back in higher prices. I found that out the hard way when I did fix one up. The last one I sold stank of cat pee and was infested with fleas which unfortunately we carried home with us. I am covered in bites but they don't care for the taste of hubby. I am also physically unable to do the cosmetic work myself which adds to the expence.
CM try putting a For sale sign on the bike and see if that gets it moved. In the US if you put anything out by the curb with q free sign on it it can go within minutes. Needless to say I have done my share of curb shopping and know if you see something stop nad pick it up that instant.
In the past oldest nephew has expressed his disappointment that his family is seldom there for him unless he begs, cajoles and makes a big production of it... I see it and I get it, I really do. Today he asked if I would come for the weekend to babysit so they can attend his staff party, and I really, really want to say yes, but... I am terrified to drive to his place, and there is no viable option for transit. I've struggled with my driving phobia for years, I CAN'T get on a multi lane highway, I just can't. And although I could plot a route taking secondary roads it is hard to navigate without someone else to help. Add in that I know I am getting slower to react, that I can't see as well as I used to, and that you never know what the weather will bring at this time of year. And did I mention that driving phobia, that comes and goes but usually comes at the worst moment? (I picture myself quivering on the side of the road too afraid to go forward or back) But I REALLY REALLY want to say yes. I used to be braver. Getting older sucks, and I'm not even old. Sigh.
Music interpretation is in the ear of the listener.
As for the Hotel California: "You can check out....but you can never leave".
Yes, it is depressing. About drug addicts, in a flop house, (maybe in Venice, Hollywood, or Santa Monica). The heroin addicts would shoot up (to check out), but maybe more than a flop house, it was maybe a lock-up to detox, and you could never leave?
Some of us have borrowed the name, calling it HoCa. Because, in memory care, the danger is that they over-medicate to keep the patient calm, but you can never leave.
It would be disturbing, listening to it....when a person feels trapped...and cannot leave, imo. As many of us do at times. It is inherently evil, in a halloweeny sort of way.
Sorry, I have not kept up with this thread, one of my favorites! I will read back.
Can you take a train, and they will pick you up?
Or, take a friend who can share the driving....friend needs a change of pace?
I understand the driving concerns. You can reassure yourself. Yes, you are not old.
Yes, you are wise to limit driving. Yes, you will be the favorite babysitter aunt.
Can they come get you....or leave baby with you? There has got to be a way! Many parents will go far, very far, for the right free babysitter!
Maybe your years spent hidden away caring for Mom has you reluctant to drive. Understandable.
Start a driving rehab now, take classes on driving. Get your eyes checked. Spend time in line at the DMV, studying just who they are giving licenses to. That will either scare you into never driving again, or boost your confidences, hey, I can do this! Still, I can do this!
It is an excellent thing to be careful! That too is a brave thing!
Send, bringing the baby to me would be just a little out of the way, 176 km each way according to google.
This laptop drives me crazy. Whether I use my fingers to swipe the screen or the laptop's scroll pad, sometimes that gray area doesn't appear. Tonight, I had to keep hitting those lines over 10 times!!! Does anyone know another way of signing out?